Crashing
by mandaree1
Summary: Della has a mild existential crisis when Penumbra goes on a coffee date.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Ducktales!**

**Title: Crashing**

**Summary: Della has a mild existential crisis when Penumbra goes on a coffee date.**

**Pairing: Dellumbra**

**...**

You're halfway through tightening a knob on a doohickey when Launchpad comes busting in, flapping his hands like he's gonna attempt flight on his own. "I GOT A DATE!"

Well, 'bust in' isn't correct, you guess- it's his garage, after all, so technically you're the trespasser- but it'd been so quiet you about have a heart attack. You press a hand to your chest and love the ache there. Love that people are around and can just... do that. LP is in the building and spooking you and you get to be spooked and in the building! This isn't the moon! That's one heckuva thing. "Alrighty, Launchpad! Who's the lucky person?"

"Penny!"

"Oh?" you say, because you're a bit thickheaded sometimes. "What's their last name?"

"I dunno if moon people have last names!" he replies, just as enthusiastic.

"Oh," you repeat. "_Penny_ Penny." The gear slips in your hands, which have gone from fine-tuned fixing machines to chunks of wood with feathers. You scramble to reaffirm your grip. "That's, uh... congrats, Launchpad. I'm happy for you."

"Did you see her hair?"

You find yourself slouching, as if trying to build a flesh barrier between yourself and the truth. "Yup, I did. It's some... it's some dang good hair."

Surprisingly, Launchpad pauses. He carefully creeps over to you. "Uh, hey. I didn't, like... get in the way of anything, did I?" You whirl around to look at him, eyes wide, to find the duck bent over you with a furrowed brow. "I didn't realize I'd be stepping on some toes."

"What? Noooo nononononno that is _not_ how it is." A sigh floats past your beak. This is the downside to being around other creatures again. _Emotion junk_. "I really am happy for you, LP. Penny's a lovely lady. And if you and her hit it off, well... I'll be happy for you then, too."

"Have you asked her?" He gently touches your shoulder. "There's still time. I can call it off."

You shake your head. "Don't. Just. I don't have, like, _dibs_ on Penny. That'd be gross. I'm just impressed how willing you are to crash, I guess? You throw yourself into everything. Piloting? Asking a cute girl to coffee? Badda bing badda boom, it's done."

"Aww, crashing isn't so scary. It never hurt nobody."

Almost instinctively, your fingers grab the metallic knee joint you've worked on time and time again. "Sure, buddy. If you say so."

* * *

You work on the same doohickey for a solid four hours after that. Because, if there's one thing the moon has taught you, it's that you can stretch a task out forever if you wanna. It can be tedious, screwing and unscrewing the same damn bolts, but sometimes repetitive is what you need to be sane. Sometimes progress needs a break. Sometimes you wanna cry, and you don't want to have to stop working to do it, so you do and un-do until the tears dry.

Penumbra's steps are different from Launchpad's. Launchpad is lacksidaisycal and sloping, like he's in the middle of tripping over his shoelaces. Penumbra is quick and precise, ready to about-face and salute in an instant. Della gimps. It's just a habit of hers, borne from years of using the heavier foot as a weighted brake.

"Coffee is strange," she greets you. "The color is rotten and the smell is divine. But the taste..." Penumbra makes a noise with the back of her throat. "It is unfortunate."

"Are you... giving me a coffee report, Penny?"

"I'm confused. Do Earthers really love this stuff, or is it some sort of practical joke?"

"Earthers are nuts for coffee. Absolutely bananas." You retighten the bolt for the four hundred and fiftieth time, but this time is different. Penny's here now. You can move on to another meaningless task. "We can actually get addicted to it- the caffeine in it, I mean."

"You require hot dirt water to survive?"

"Not to_ survive_. It can just give you headaches and a case of the grumpies if you go without."

Penumbra's behind you now. She radiates heat. It's like a living heated blanket with fists. Amazing. "I do not require coffee. Do you?"

"Nope."

"...Would you like to?"

That's when what she's trying to do hits you like a truck, and you tilt your head back. Penumbra's face is basically anything but neutral, but it's not fixed on a particular emotion right now, either. "Did Launchpad put you up to this?"

She cleared her throat. "The large one is... nice, but I'm more interested in intellect over, well... Darkwing Duck."

"He _is_ pretty gay for Darkwing Duck, yeah." You press your head against her stomach, feeling muscle and smelling the familiar reek of gold, before pulling away. You don't want to, but you have to, you know? Before things get funky. "Penumbra, you know I think you're wonderful, but I'm not sure I'm ready for anything like coffee or romance. I'm too scared to crash."

"You think I'm not?"

Your mouth opens, then closes, then opens again, all without your permission. Penumbra's eyes have narrowed to tiny little pinpoints. Studying you? Plotting your elaborate murder? Both are pretty likely. "What?"

"Crashing is terrifying," she answers, almost not needing the prompting. "Everything lights on fire. Pieces fly everywhere. And it hurts. A lot."

Again, the leg comes to mind. There's no pain killers on the moon. You're scared to take them now- to find out if you've just gotten used to agony, and how to move forward from that if you have. "I'm scared," slips out, unbidden. "What if, we do this... and I'm just not the kind of person I used to be anymore?"

"I don't know that Della." Penumbra shrugs one shoulder. "If you want to give it a try... well, I could learn to like Earther drinks. Maybe."

"Promise you won't leave?"

"Bold of you to assume I could escape." She smiles, and somewhere, deep down, you convince yourself this might turn out slightly okay. "If there's one thing I've learned, it's that it's impossible to shake Della Duck." Penumbra pauses. "That was a compliment. I don't mind that."

"I know, Penny."

"That came out kind of weird, so I thought-"

"You want to try smoothies? It's a lot less bitter than coffee."

"Oh thank Selene. I was worried I'd have to choke down that gunk again."

**Author's Note: I rlly like Della and Penny's relationship, if that wasn't already obvious aksmdolcosk.**

**This is only my second time delving into 2nd person! It's a lot of fun for me to work with- it feels a lot easier to dip between thought and action, even if pronouns are a bit blander. Tips and hints are appreciated!**

**-Mandaree1**


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